Maine W. feeling confident; Meadows is a hit

Maine West picked up an early confidence boost when it handed Schaumburg its first loss.

And the Warriors got another one heading toward the postseason as they stifled hard-hitting Evanston 2-1 on Saturday in a Central Suburban League baseball crossover.

"It puts even more confidence into the entire team," said Maine West senior pitcher Eric Romani, who combined with starter and winner Garrett Glover and Mike Santa Maria to beat Evanston, "knowing we can play at a higher level wit anybody.

"We're really doing well now."

Maine West extended its winning streak to 6 games Wednesday with a 9-1 win over Niles North. Its 15 wins are two more than all of last season.

"It showed us a lot," Maine West third baseman Ryan Tuntland said. "Evanston is a top team and we may have to play them again in the playoffs. It was a good confidence booster that we can play a good 2-1 game."

Glover also got the victory against Schaumburg.

"He's a kid who goes after people," said Maine West coach Joe Pederson. "I think he's a kid who can beat people an now that we have Mike (Santa Maria) in the rotation, we have a formidable 1-2 punch."

Romani also looked good Wednesday in allowing only an infield single and throwing 48 pitches in 5 innings. With Santa Maria getting starts, freshman middle infielder Connor Skoczynski has been promoted to the varsity as is hitting No. 2 behind sophomore Tommy Ross.

Maine West will have a familiar foe in its Glenbrook North regional opener Thursday against No. 11 Maine South.

"We're clicking," Tuntland said. "But we have to keep improving with the playoffs coming up."

Giving the Mustangs a kick: One of Rolling Meadows' strengths this year has been a lineup with no easy outs.

"We don't really have a weak spot in our lineup," said Meadows senior Kyle Gaedele of every starter hitting above .300. "Every other day someone is stepping up big."

In Monday's Mid-Suburban East clinching win over Wheeling, No. 9 hitter and right fielder Scott Wenzel came through with a big two-out RBI single that gave Meadows its first run. On Wednesday, Wenzel went 3-for-4.

"We all can hit," Wenzel said. "We probably have one of the best bottom of the orders in the MSL."

Wenzel is also part of what Meadows coach Jim Lindeman considers one of the best defensive outfields around with Gaedele in left and Kevin Serna in center.

"It's nice to have a guy at the bottom of the order like Scott who can run, has a good eye and is patient," Lindeman said. "He got off to a slow start but we're fortunate to have a No. 9 hitter like him."

Meadows also benefited from the emergence of junior Ted Metzger on the mound with Gaedele and lefty Jon Carlson. The right-hander improved to 4-1 Monday after allowing only 1 run the first 6 innings.

"We weren't really sure what we were getting," Lindeman said of Metzger missing most of the summer with a rib injury. "What we got was a shortstop who can hit (.370) and a third pitcher.

"When he can locate his curveball he's pretty darn effective."

Metzger's value is even higher now with righty Pat Conlin (4-3, 3 saves, 24 strikeouts in 19 innings) currently out with a fractured bone in his foot.

Quiet title: There wasn't a lot of celebrating after Leyden clinched a share of its first West Suburban Gold title since 1990 last Saturday.

Leyden coach Gary Wolf said there was little noise on the bus ride home from Willowbrook after a double-header split. And there wasn't much being said Tuesday after a 4-3 loss to the Warriors.

The losses kept the Warriors from winning the title outright as Downers Grove South got a share of the crown when it beat Hinsdale South 8-6 in Wednesday's completion of a suspended game.

But the Eagles, who beat Downers South twice in three meetings, did reach their first two goals with a division title. They won their 20th game Wednesday against Downers Grove North.

"It's tough because we're all very disappointed with how this ended up," Wolf said after Tuesday's loss to Willowbrook. "But I'm awful proud of our guys to be able to get to this point.

"It's a result of a lot of hard work and a lot of togetherness. We need to fight through a little funk right now."

Consecutive 1-run losses to Willowbrook were definitely an exception for the Eagles. They won their first four 1-run decisions this season and were 10-4 last year.

"As long as we learn something from these games and build on it, it won't hurt as much," Wolf said as the Eagles try to at least match last year's trip to a sectional final. "We've played sound ball and the more pressure situations we're in, we'll be that much more prepared going to regional play."

Making a late run: After a 7-11 start, Hersey rebounded to win 9 of its next 10 games to build momentum toward the postseason.

"We feel really confident right now," Hersey's Matt Milligan said after a 7-6 comeback win at Prospect last week.

"We just weren't ready for it," senior Bobby Gehm said of the rough start that knocked Hersey out of contention in the MSL East. "We thought it was going to be given to us and we weren't ready to work hard enough.

"We had to come back down to earth."

Gehm did his part to keep Hersey going in Monday's 7-6 win over Buffalo Grove. He had 6 of his team's 12 stolen bases -- which according to IHSA records ties him for fifth in state history for most steals in a game.

Gehm and Mike Toljanic have been two of the most consistent players offensively with Chris James and Dan Kelley getting the job done on the mound.

"We really thought we'd be in contention all the way," said Hersey coach Bob Huber. "When we fell out early and sputtered, we had to refocus and the kids have worked.

"We're starting to see signs from other guys."

Donny on the spot: Sophomore Donny Duschinsky's 2-hitter against Wheeling on Wednesday was the first 7-inning complete game this season for Elk Grove. Duschinsky had 5 strikeouts and 4 walks.

Duschinsky also threw a no-hitter against Wheeling last year.

Select company: Schaumburg coach Paul Groot got his 539th victory Wednesday, which tied Barrington's Kirby Smith for the most in history by a coach at an MSL school.